Research and Development for Robotics Innovation

Innovative Robotics Solutions​

Macro Sectors of Innovative Applications for Robotics​

Robotics Bending with OAI​​

  1. Robots with OMNIHEAD, OMNIBOA, OMNIFLIPPER systems
  2. Optical Centering System for Sheet Metal
  3. Powerful Self-Adaptive Robot Management Libraries for All Phases of Sheet Metal Processing
  4. Integrated Robot Press Simulation Software

Robotics Sorting of micro-joints cut by laser with OAI​

  1. Robots with the OMNIRAYCUT System
  2. Integrated System with Laser Cutting Machine
  3. Separate System from Laser Cutting Machine ​

​Self-Managed Robots for Loading and Unloading Panel Benders​ or Other Operating Machines

  1. ​Autonomous Search for the Position of the Piece at the Exit and Relative Pick-Up of the Piece
  2. Autonomous Search for the Position and Number of Pallets or AMR for Loading and Unloading

Tool Handling for Large Milling Machines​

  1. Handling of Large Tools from Warehouses to Machine Mandrels and Vice Versa
  2. Fast Calibration and Management of Multi-Line and Multi-Plane Racks with Hundreds of Tools

​Self-Managed Robots for Spot Welding Systems

  1. ​Robotics Spot Welding Cells for Metal Furniture
  2. Autonomous Robot Management System with OAI (currently being defined)

Special Non-Preconfigured and Non-Preordered Palletizing Plants for Boxes​ with OAI​

  1. Palletizing Performed Without Initial Prefiguration
  2. Dynamic Reading of Input Material to the Cell and Calculation of New Palletizing Strategy (currently being defined)

Drum Handling in Food Environment​​

  1. Handling of Drums of Various Shapes and Sizes (Beer, Cola, etc.) for Entry into Multi-Line Washers
  2. Identification and Elimination of Residual Liquid Load and Elimination of Damaged Drums
  3. Dynamic Variation of Robot Speed Based on Load

Handling of Natural and Artificial Stones                    ​

  1. Robotics Handling of Natural Stones for Selection, Cutting, and Various types of Processing
  2. Robotics Handling of Artificial Stones for Cutting and Various types of Processing     ​    

Glass Handling                    ​

  1. Careful and Delicate Dynamic Handling of glass sheets based on Size and Weight
  2. Autonomous Identification of Loading and Unloading Rack Positions         

​Dynamic Adaptive Systems for Cast Iron and Aluminum Deburring from Foundry 

  1. Deburring of bodies resulting from melting, either respecting the 3D Design or adapting the processing to the variations produced by the melting.   
Derfinition of Operational Artificial Intelligence (OAI)

​Robotics Bending with OAI​

​​With OMNIHEAD the robot can autonomously, within its reach space:

  • Identify the number, position and content of each loading or unloading pallet or AMR, for sheet metal.
  • Identify the number and position of each loading or unloading pallet or AMR.
  • Select work programs for itself and the press-brake without operator intervention.
  • Identify the shape and position of any type of sheet metal on the optical centering, even in the presence of only a portion of the piece to be manipulated.

​All phases of robot interfacing with cell devices (press-brake, centering device, flipper, loading and unloading device, optical thickness gauge, gripper changing and tooling) are managed by the powerful OLIB library, the result of decades of innovation and testing:

  • ​With OLIB, the press-brake punch is tracked in real-time because it is managed as a real robot axis.
  • ​With OLIB, any process anomalies that may arise are managed in such a way as to drastically reduce operator intervention.
  • OLIB libraries also significantly simplify the operational activities involved in preparing the bending program on the offline simulator: ​the simulator will be much less involved in picking, centering and, above all, in the management of bending in the press-brake.

The OMNIFLIPPER is a further step forward in simplifying the sheet metal flipping maneuvers both for the simulator and for the operator. Quick, flexible, and fast flipping of the piece without ever having encumbrances either for depositing or for picking up the piece.

The OMNIBOA cable bundle manager eliminates the inconvenience of entangling robot cables in masks and sheets, thus avoiding damaging or tearing the cables themselves.
This system also resolves most of the uncertainty and problems of simulating the cable bundle in the simulator.

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Robotics Sorting of Laser-Cut Micro-Joints with OAI​

Micro-joints in laser cutting are made to avoid losing small pieces or to prevent pieces from getting stuck under each other during the material transport phase outside the cutting area. 
The robotics OMNIRAYCUT system autonomously manages the micro-joined sheets:

  • OMNIRAYCUT determines the position of the origin of the sheet metal containing the micro-joined pieces, recognizes the name of the sheet metal in use, and recalls the specific cutting sequence of the micro-joints.
  • Manages the cutting of micro-joints both a) when exiting the laser cutting and b) when in a deferred section, after the storing of the micro-joined sheets.
  • By connecting OMNIRAYCUT to a laser cutting management software, it is possible to extract the cut pieces in an orderly manner and process their correct palletization.

​​​​There are three possible configurations​​:

  • System installed right at the exit of the laser cutting for the immediate separation of micro-joints and palletization of the cut components.
  • System installed at the end of the cutting line to increase the productivity of the main laser cutting. A kind of storage tank is generated in line with the cutting machine. At the end of the line, the cutting of micro-joints and palletization of the cut components are performed.
  • System allocated away from the main laser cutting line. The cutting of micro-joints and palletization of the pieces are performed at a later time, after possible storage of the cut and micro-joined sheets.

Example text. Click to select the Text Object.

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Self-managed robots for loading and unloading panel benders or other operating machines

In the loading and unloading of panel benders or other operating machines, a robot is required that is capable of autonomously performing the following operations:

  • Autonomously search for the position and number of loading and unloading pallets or AMRs.
  • Autonomously search for the position of the piece coming out of the machine and perform the relative pick up for subsequent palletization; all this without resorting to the aid of mechanical centering systems.
  • Identify the positions of the different stacks of sheets to be processed in the loading pallet or AMR

For many years, the robotic system OMNIHEAD has proven itself capable and reliable in performing the above operations.

For the total and complete operation of the robotics loading and unloading management system, we ​recommend installing:

  • OMNIHEAD for analysis and positioning of both pallets and pieces, both in output and in input; for piece analysis, it also means partial analysis of the piece, provided that the portion to be analyzed uniquely identifies the whole.
  • OMNIBOA for managing the cable bundle, avoiding tears and stretching of the various cables and tubes inside the cable bundle
  • OMNIFLIPPER for a quick, flexible, and fast flipping of the piece without ever having encumbrances either for deposit or for picking up the piece.

Example text. Click to select the Text Object.

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Tool handling for large milling machines

Application example:
In large milling machines, with beds 20 meters long and 5 meters wide, using several hundred tools (typically over 400 tools) of important shapes and weights, the operations of calibrating the position of the tool in the tool rack are very delicate. It is necessary to position yourself in Cartesian and Euclidean coordinates under the tenth of a millimetre, otherwise the machine spindle will be damaged.
With our algorithms, tested for years of operation at client plants, it is possible to perform the calibration of the deposit and pickup point in a handful of seconds. Furthermore, the management of the movement between the warehouse and the machine spindle is made simple and fast.

  • Handling of large tools from warehouses to machine spindles and vice versa
  • Fast calibration and management of multi-line and multi-plane tool racks with several hundred tools

For better operation of the robotics system for managing the loading and unloading of tool warehouses and machine spindles, we suggest inserting:

  • OMNIHEAD to quickly analyze the positions of pickup and deposit of tool warehouses.
  • OMNIBOA for managing the cable bundle, avoiding tears and stretching of the various cables and tubes inside the cable bundle.

Every job commissioned by our clients is covered by company confidentiality, in compliance with current regulations.

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Self-managed robots for spot welding systems

Spot welding is a consolidated technology that has been used for decades, on which almost everything has already been said.
It is now necessary to introduce a technological evolution that makes the welding system more flexible and capable of making autonomous decisions.
Our system allows, in addition to normal spot welding, the introduction of autonomy of choice and decision-making for processing.
Past and new technologies are combined:

  • Identify with OAI systems the loading of pallets with the pieces to be welded, bringing the pieces to be welded into operation, palletizing the worked pieces
  • Perform the automatic change of grippers both for welding grippers and for the movement of the pieces
  • Introduce the self-managed robot system with OAI (in testing phase)

For better operation of the robotics system, we suggest inserting:

  • OMNIBOA for managing the cable bundle, avoiding tears and stretching of the various cables and tubes inside the cable bundle.
  • In certain particular situations, it is advisable to insert a turning support OMNITURNING, to facilitate the palletization of the produced pieces.

Example text. Click to select the Text Object.

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Special palletizing plants not pre-ordered and not pre-configured for boxes with OAI

Standard palletizing requires a precise dimensional definition of the pieces to be palletized and above all a pre-ordered palletizing recipe depending on the elements to be palletized. With OMNIHEAD we have introduced a revolutionary system for which given a type of element to be palletized (for example: boxes of different shape and/or size), the robot is able to identify autonomously what is the best totally self-managed processing strategy without the need to prepare in advance a palletizing recipe. It is therefore possible to:

  • Palletize without initial pre-figuration or giving general suggestions
  • Dynamically read the material entering the cell and calculate the new palletizing strategy (in test phase)

Given that all robot movement paths are decided online by the calculation algorithm, we suggest equipping the plant with:

  • OMNIBOA for managing the cable bundle avoiding tears and stretches of the various cables and tubes inside the cable bundle.

Example text. Click to select the Text Object.

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Drum handling in food environment

The food environment presents sectors that are burdensome for humans, for example washing containers with soda at high temperatures. Handling drums with robots is now a necessity in terms of safety and productivity. The robot handles containers of various shapes and sizes, introducing drums into washing equipment, thereby reducing working times and human resource employment to a minimum. In the washing chain, the robot identifies and eliminates damaged or tampered with drums, eliminates any liquid residues still present in the drums, without stopping the production line with the relative operator call, and manages production anomalies autonomously.

In summary:

  1. Handling drums of various shapes and sizes (beer, cola, etc.) for entry into multi-line washers
  2. Identification and elimination of residual load liquid, and identification of damaged drums
  3. Dynamic speed variation of the robot based on the load
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Handling natural and artificial stones

We have worked on natural stone processing plants, where the robot autonomously selects stones with a shape and size suitable for being processed for transformation into artifacts. The same method can also be used on artificial stone slabs to identify how to obtain predefined shapes. The system also allows for the selection of processed stones based on various shapes and sizes, for palletizing.

In summary

  1. Robotics handling of natural stones for selection, cutting and various types of processing
  2. Robotics handling of artificial stones for cutting and various types of processing
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Glass handling

We make our experience available in the field of handling glass sheets, as well as special glass shapes, from small to large dimensions and weight. Our system allows for both precise and fast processing when inserting glass into processing machines and for palletizing glass after processing.

In summary

  1. Accurate and careful dynamic handling of glass sheets based on dimensions and weight
  2. Autonomous identification of loading and unloading rack positions
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Dynamic adaptive systems for Cast Iron and Aluminum Deburring from Foundry

Long-standing experience in developing software for robotics deburring plants for foundary cast iron and aluminum objects. Starting from the 3D design, we have integrated analysis and tracking systems for the surfaces to be deburred into existing CAD/CAM systems, in collaboration with the relevant CAD/CAM parent companies, adapting the working speed and pressure based on the size of the scrap to be removed.

In summary

  1. Dynamic deburring of the piece respecting the 3D design, or adaptive dynamic deburring that respects the real shape of the piece coming out of the fusion mold
  2. Variation of the speed and pressure of scrap removal adapting to the size of the real scrap encountered
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